Summer Days
by mydoctortennant
Summary: It's very hot in Camelot...


A heat wave that spanned the whole of Camelot and its surrounding countryside had been in full force for the last two weeks. Every girl, boy, man and woman had been feeling the effects of it for days on end. Merchants had stopped unable to spend the days standing and selling in the unbearable heat and the knights had foregone training to find shade so they didn't pass out from over exerting themselves in their armour.

The Prince thought the ideal stupid; they needed to be Camelot's defences should war strike, but Leon as soon to remind him that no army would attack in this weather because they would all die trying to attack rather than standing a chance at taking the city under siege.

Unable to escape the heat outside, Arthur laid on his bed trying to remain perfectly still. Any movement would betray him and he would break into an uncomfortable sweat. Merlin was attempting to do the same with his head resting on the dining table as he sat ready for any orders the prince might deal – none ever came. Speaking was moving and moving was too much effort.

Arthur lay with his shirt abandoned on the floor and in nothing but his undergarments as he tried to fight the heat. Merlin had taken off his jacket and over-shirt leaving himself in bare feet with his trousers still on and his neckerchief abandoned on the chair.

The servants who still had to work the kitchens had been doing so in shifts. The heat intense from the fires and not unaided by the blazing sun.

On her escape Guinevere made towards the prince's quarters, knowing he would be there with his manservant and able to capture a moment without a worry of intrusion. During her shift in the kitchen – in further attempt to get cooler – Gwen had removed her apron and bodice and had rolled up her sleeves as high as they would go but nothing as doing the trick; her under-chemise was slick to her sweat-covered skin.

The Prince didn't look up when she opened the door to his quarters, and neither did Merlin. Neither spoke but the greeting hung in the air with every intention of being uttered.

"It's too hot," Merlin complained five minutes later after being joined at the table by Gwen who had helped herself to the room temperature water that might have previously been cool when collected from the well.

The well. It would have nearly dried up by now, but the river would be inconstant supply of cool water from outlying lands.

"We should go to the river," she shifted and pulled her lavender dress so it no longer stuck to her back. She uncomfortably tried to stop the garment from attacking itself to her at no avail. She reached up behind her back and undid the buttons with practised ease and pulled it from her torso. She fingered the edge of her skirts and pulled the top layer so it came over her head, freeing her of the confines leaving her in her under-chemise and undergarments. She was certain it wasn't decent to be in so little around the Crowned Prince but propriety could take a back seat in dire circumstances (as could embarrassment.)

At her statement Arthur sat up in his bed and looked at her. She blushed slightly as she finally realised quite how much of him was free to view. Arthur let himself take in the sections of her flesh that he hadn't seen before and slowly smiled to himself, "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you're a prat."

"Well, you're an idiot, you didn't think of it either."

x

Hearing laughter outside of the open window Gaius moved across the room to sneak a glance down to see who was out in the summer heat. He raised an eyebrow when he saw three flashes of creamy material run on by.

The girl he recognised instantly as Guinevere was being followed by his young ward. Both of them were following a blonde haired male. What were the two servants doing with the prince and wearing so little?

x

The three youths ran through the empty town. The sooner they got to the river the better they would feel. Running was making them all sticky with sweat but moving faster meant getting there faster.

If they had thought it through they would have realised they wouldn't have been the only ones who would have thought to go to the river to cool down. It was full of the townsfolk, the children splashing each other with the adults sat on the shore with their feet in the running water.

A collection of Camelot's finest Knight were also around, swimming in the deeper parts of the river and playing with the children of the lower town.

Most people were whittled down to wearing not a lot; the rest had already ridden themselves of the rest of their clothing.

The three new comers hadn't gotten too close before they had seen the crowds. Merlin had carried on forwards towards the group of servants that he recognised.

Arthur held back and stopped Gwen from carrying forwards. He slipped his hand into hers, out of sight of the people, and guided her through the forest to a more secluded area that he doubted anybody else would have ventured out to.

He didn't stop when he reached the water and pulled Gwen in after him. She let out a shrill squeak as he collapsed into the water and dragged her with him. The water was warmer than she had anticipated. She concentrated on it over the way it ran over Arthur's bared skin.

He traced her loose curls out of her eyes and down beneath her ear, and combed his fingers through her loose hair.

"We're meant be cooling down," she mumbled against his lips before he claimed them with his own. Feeling positively cooler than he had in his room.

"I don't care."

Gwen pulled away from him gently. A wicked smile flashed across her face and quicker than a flash she scooped her hand into the river and launched water over Arthur's head and ran through the water awkwardly.

"You little bugger," he stood as swiftly as he could. He longer legs aided him to catch her and splashed her with his bigger hands. She giggled and flicked another handful of water towards the Prince.

He grabbed her hands and held them firmly to her sides so she couldn't splash him again. He leant down and captured her lips with his. He let go of her hands which soon found her way into his hair. He slowly lowered the pair of them down into the rush of water. He brought his hand out of the water and flicked the water onto her face causing her to burst into another fit of giggles.

They felt considerably cooled submerged in the running water. They sat together as they laughed and relaxed against the pebbled riverbed. Their initial discomfort at the lack of material the other had been wearing had worn away as they distracted themselves from their lives.

"I'm not leaving here until the heat goes."

"Then you will catch a chill," Gwen said as she ran her fingers over the cold stones.

"A chill in this heat would be a blessing," Arthur said as he leant back against his elbows the water running over his body and the back of his hair as he lolled his head back to remain cool.

"Then you would be confided to bed with your fever," She flicked the water from his fingers over his face. He flinched and looked up at her. She smiled innocently. She cupped her hands in the water and allowed the water to fall down her arms.

"Well, then the best nursing will be in order," Gwen rolled her eyes before she let out a screech as he emptied handfuls of cold water over her head.

**It has been brought to my attention that this fic heralds some of the same themes as that of a fic written by _autumncolours of LJ called 'Heatwave'. Though an unintentional similarity I would like to highlight that these similarties have taken place (however unintentional) and apologise for any ideas that may appear in both fics as it wasn't my intent (consciously or otherwise) to copy any ideas.**


End file.
